Locked pocketbook appliance



Dec. 29, 1925. f 1,567,461

/A. W. PATTERSON LOKED POCKETBO OK APPLIANCE lFiled Sept* 14, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /sf //i/ Dec. 29l 1925.

A. W. PATTERSON LOCKED POCKETBOOK APPLIANCE Filed Sept. 14,- 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SOM edf

Patented Dec. 29, i925,

ALFRED W. PATTERSON, 035 LGS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

LOCKED PO CKETBOOK APPLIANCE.

Application filed September 14, 1923. Serial No. 662,643.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, ALFRED W. PATTER- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful improvements in Locked `Pocketbook Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

'My present invention is a device for locking and retaining a pocket book or similar container for valuables to prevent theft or Vunauthorized withdrawal of the same, as by pickp-ockets, and it is an object of this i11- vention tok provide means whereby a purse, orits equivalent, may be reliably secured in a receptacular element such as a hand bag, or a vanity box, or a pocket, or the like, by a catch normally pressed into engaging position but provided with reti-acting means Operable from a more or less remote point.

Although2 my device can be applied to various yreceptacles whose construction may be adapted thereto, it is an object of this invention to provide a device of the character referred to which shall be suitable for association, in one of its embodiments, with usual articles of apparel, suoli as a belt adapted to be worn with a pair of trousers having one of my novel 'purse-retaining devices secured in one of the usual hip pockets thereof.

Y It is an object of this invention to provide means preventing the unauthorized withdrawal of a purse without an actual cutting of metallic or similar parts, while at the same time facilitating such a withdrawal upon the pulling of a concealed flexible element suc-h ias a` wire or woven or braided strand of fine wires, controlling a catch; and, in one preferred embodiment of my invention, I may employ such a wire operated by. a lever, which may in turn be moved by a key; and the said wire may extend from said lever Vthrough suitable guide elements 'in a belt, or the like, to a catch or latch secured in a. housing carried in a pocket, said latch `being preferably adapted to engage acooperating eye or keep, or the like, upon a purse, or a container for a purse, to retain the same until said latch or catch shall be intentionally retracted, to permit withdrawal.

Although certain embodiments of my invention are suitable to be incorporated in bags or boxes at the time of their manufacture, other forms, such as those which are adapted to protect a wallet, or the like, carried in a garment pocket, may comprise features of construction requiring the cooperation of a tailor or garment worker, to provide slits or other suitable openings necessary to the incorporation of my device; but it is an object of this invention to provide a protective device capable of easy installation and advantageous use even in connection with garments not originally intended therefor.

Although my present invention is intended primarily as a protective device, it is an important incidental object of this invention to provide receptacular elements such as hand bags and vanity boxes with a convenient: means for retaining a pocketbook, or its equivalent, in a speciic part of such receptacular elements and therefore always within convenient reach,- without necessitating a search among gloves and handkerchiefs and other toilet articles or among articles purchased during a shopping trip. L

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description or preferred embodiments of my invention, and from the appended claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a perspective view of a vanity box, or the like, provided with an embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, but with parts cut away to show the preferred construction of my purse-retaining means.

Fig. 3 is a separate perspective view of a purse or purse-retainer comprising a keep or apertured projection adapting it to be used in connection with other features of my invention.

Fig. 4l is a rear elevation, with parts cut away, showing an adaptation of my inveir tion to use in connection with the hip pocket of a pair of trousers provided with a specially constructed belt.

Fig. 5 may be regarded as a vertical section substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. Ll.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line (3-6 of Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 and 8 are respectlvely a horizon' f the tal section and a rear elevation of details of a belt provided with suitable actuating means for use in cooperation with the parts shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

Referring to the details of that specific embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 1 may be avanity box, or the like, provided with a cover section 2, connected by means of a hinge 3 and optionally also provided wtih a lock Il, each of the sections of this Vanity box being shown as provided with a handle in the form of a loop, and the loop 5 on one section being of any usual or preferred character.

For use in connection with a vanity box of my preferred design, or in connection with any of the alternative embodiments of my invention, I prefer to provide a purse or container for valuables of the general character best shown in Fig. 8, it being understood that this container may either directly receivecoin, valuable paper, or the like, or it may alternatively be employed to receive a purse containing the same, the distinctive features of this purse or container being the provision of a suitable aperture 6 in a flexible flap 7 constituting a closure therefor and the provision of a novel keep 8, adapted to extend through aperture 6, when the container is closed, and provided with an opening E), through which a catch may extend, in a manner hereinafter described, safely to retain the purse or container within a rsuitable receptacle or pocket.

lt will be obvious that, altl'lough shown. as provided with a rectangular slot or aperture 9, the keep 8, herein shown as rebent upon itself and secured by rivets 10 to the body of the purse l), is essentially a mere eye or staple suitably fastened. thereto, and constituting a means for securing a purse, after the closing of the same, against unauthorized withdrawal.

.Although various forms of retaining means might obviously be devised to coopcrate with a purse of the character referred to, l have proposed for this purpose the employment of a catch or latch. 1l,

vshown as pivoted at 12 to and within a housing 13, which may be formed of sheet metal, or the like, the mentioned catch be ing shown as constituting one arm of a lever whose second or actuating arm 14 is pivoted at 15 to one end of a flexible element such as a wire 16, the lower portion of the said wire being shown as surrounded by a compression spring 17, constituting a resilient means for throwing the catch 11 into engaging position and restoring the wire 16, or its equivalent, and parts connected therewith, to their respective normal positions. One end of the spring 17 being shown as seated against a washer 18, upon .the

irel, the other end of spring shown as secured by rivets 21 tothe cover 2 of the vanity box; and the wire or flexible operating element 16 may be surrounded by suitable protective material such as sheets or a sheath. of wire cloth 22, shown as extending from and secured to the back plate 2() in such a manner as to prevent the withdrawal of a purse P by cutting through the wall of the vanity box.

rl`he operating wire 16 being led through an aperture 23 in the cover 2 into the inte rior of a flexible handle24, adapted to cooperate with the corresponding loop or handle 5 on the lower or main section of my novel vanity box, this external portion of the operating wire 16 is also providedy with a protective armor or sheath such as the woven wire sheath 25, extending into proximity to an operating means which may be in the form of a movable finger piece 26, shown as integral with a guide 1' section 27 provided with a head 28 adapted to compress a spring 29 within a housing 80, shown as terminating in a cooperating linger piece 31, the described construction being such that whenever the movable linger piece 26 is drawn toward the lixed linger piece 30, the catch 11 will be retracted to permit a withdrawal of thc Lil purse P from the position in which it is shown in Figs. .1 and 2.

Although other equivalent secret retracting means might obviously be substituted for those described, it will be understood that the ele-ments referred to con stitute an effective means, armored throughout for preventing the unauthorized withdrawal of a purse; and, to facilitate the return of a. purse to its intended position within a vanity box, or the like, the housing` 13, secured therein, may advantageous 1 ly be provided with a resilient guide plate 32, which may be integral therewith or secured thereto in such manner that whenever the purse P is moved backward and douf'nward in proximity to the catch 11, this guide plate 32 shall engage the leading edge 33 of the keep 8 and thereby guide the purse into its intended and indicated posi.- tion.

Referring to the alternative forni of my CLJ coveringin connection With the form of my invention `best `shoiv'nin Figs. 1 and 2 being optional), 3st may be the opening intol the mentioned pocket, outer layers of pants cloth being indicated at and and suitable apertures being cut therethrough at 36 and 37, to permit the insertion of the operating` Wire 16 and its protective sheath or covering of Wire cloth 22', or the like, which may be secured, as by soldering at 38, to the back plate and may extend upward into engagement with a belt 39, to Which it may be secured by any suitable means such as rivets 40, extending also through thin metallic plates Ll-l, 42, shown as carrying a small pulley 43, over Which the wire 16 may extend, in a 'substantially horizontal direction, to any suitable operating means.

In order suitably to protect that portion of the'wire 16 which extends in a. substantially horizontal direction through the belt 39, the same may be surrounded by a suitable flexible guarding and guiding element such as a spiral of Wire del, shown as resembling a helical spring but provided with reversely bent portions 45, adapted to serve as eyelets for the securing of the same, as by means of stitching 4G; and at any convenient point upon the belt 39, which may be provided with a buckle con'iprising hooks 47, adapted to extend through openings 48, it may be provided With actuating means such as the arm or lever 49 pivot-ally secured to the remote end of the Wire 16 extending through the helical sheath 44C; and this lever 49, or its equivalent, may be operated, whenever t-he'catch 13 is to be retracted, by any suitable means such as a key 50, Which may ex tend into a suitable slot 5l therein.

Although it will be obvious that a construction similar to that just described, but simpler in some respect-s, might be employed to retain a purse Within the pocket of a vest or coat, it is believed that the illustrations already given will be found sutlicient to indicate the general scope and character ot my present invention, in connection with which it will be obvious that various features above described are capable of independent use and obvious also that various additional inodilications might be made by those skilled in the art Without departure from the spirit and scope oiE my invention as the same is indicated above and in the following claims.

That I cla-im is:

1. In a purse-retaining device, a catch secured Within a receptacle and provided with releasing means operable from a distance, said releasing means eomprising a flexible element extending through a flexible guide.

2. In a purse-retaining device, a catch secured Within a receptacle and provided with releasing means operable from av distance, said releasing means comprising a flexible clement extendingthrough a flexible guide comprising a metallic spiral element.

25. In a purse-retaining device, a` catch cured within a receptacle and provided with releasing?,l means operable from a distance, said releasing means comprising a tlcxible element extending through a flexible guide and secured to said catch and to an actuating means.

il. In a portable receptacle, a retaining means for removably securing a container 'or valuables, said retaining means comprising a housing formed of thin sheet material and provided with a catch, said housing being adapted to receive an apertured projection on said container.

In a portable receptacle, a retaining means lor removably securing a retainer for valuables, said ri-itaining means comprising a housing formed oi" thin sheet material and provided with a` catch, said housing being provided with a guide plate.

G. In a portable receptacle, a retaining means for removably securing a retainer for valuables, said retaining means comprising a housing termed ot thin sheet material and provided with a catch, said housing being secured to a metallic sheath surrounding a flexible operating element.

7. In a portable receptacle, a container adapted to receive valuables, means providing an apertured keeper upon said container, said container having an apertured cover tlap receivable over said keeper, a catch adapted to engage said kccpei, means for mounting said catch within the rccclvitacle, and means Whereoy said catch may be rcmotely operated to engage or disengage said keeper.

8. In a portable receptacle, a container adapted to receive valuables, means providing a keeper upon said container. a catch adapted to engage said keeper, means tor pivotally mounting said catch within the receptacle, and means whereby said catch may be remotely operated to engage or discngagc said keeper.

9. In a portable receptacle, a container adapted to receive if'aluables, means providing a keeper upon said container, a catch adapted to engage said keeper, means for pivotally mount-ing said catch Within the receptacle, means whereby said catch may be remotely operated to engage or disengage said keeper, and spring means for causing said keeper to be normally urged into cngaging position.

10. In a portable receptacle, a. container adapted to receive valuables, means providing a keeper upon said container, there being a cover tlap upon the container having an aperture therein receivable over said keeper, supporting means for supporting said container within the receptacle, and a catch mounted upon said supporting means adapted to engage and disengage lsaicl tainer Within the receptacle, a catch mountlreeper. ed upon said supporting means adapted to l0 11. In a portable receptacle, a container engage or disengage said keeper, and means adapted to receive valuables, means proviclfor remotely actuating said catch.

inga keeper upon said` container, there being In testimony whereof I have signed my a cover flap upon the container having an name to this specification.

aperture therein receivable over said keeper, supporting means for supporting` said con- ALFRED WV. PATTERSON. 

